News briefs

Holiday bonuses the exception • Union grieves firing of armed and dangerous worker • CIBC extends HR outsourcing deal • Quebec targets health-care workers in France, Switzerland • P.E.I. youth steered into careers facing shortages • B.C .WCB unchanged

Holiday bonuses the exception

Toronto
— Just 32 per cent of employers will hand out holiday bonuses this year, down slightly from the 36 per cent that gave bonuses last year, according to a survey of 115 Canadian organizations by Hewitt Associates. Nine per cent of respondents reported having once given holiday bonuses but discontinuing them, while more than half (59 per cent) have never given holiday bonuses. Of those that do give bonus, 32 per cent hand out gift certificates, 30 per cent offer cash bonuses and another 30 per cent give out food such as turkeys or hams.

Union grieves firing of armed and dangerous worker

Moncton, N.B.
— Former City of Moncton worker George Pavlovsky, fired after he got drunk and went looking for two senior managers with a loaded shotgun, is having his dismissal grieved by the Canadian Union of Public Employees. Pavlovsky, who was upset about being passed up for a promotion, is serving a two-year sentence for carrying a loaded gun for the purpose of committing a crime but hopes to get his job back when he gets out. A spokesperson for the union said the case is shocking, but “Pavlovsky is a CUPE member and has a right to representation. We have a duty to represent him. There are mitigating factors and extenuating circumstances and we’ll have to look at the facts of the case.”

CIBC extends HR outsourcing deal

Toronto
— CIBC signed a three-year, $92.5 million extension to its human resources outsourcing deal with EDS last month. The bank inked a landmark seven-year contract with EDS in 2001 for $203 million. The deal will now run for 10 years. EDS provides CIBC’s 37,000 employees and 9,000 retirees with administration of benefits, payroll, workforce administration and compensation management. For more information about the CIBC outsourcing deal and HR outsourcing, click on the related articles link below.

Quebec targets health-care workers in France, Switzerland

Quebec City
— Despite a shortage of health-care professionals, Quebec is keeping French-language requirements in place for foreign doctors and nurses. The province is focusing recruiting efforts on France and Switzerland and on convincing Quebec health-care workers who left for Europe to come home. Quebec is facing a shortage of about 1,000 doctors and a number of nursing specialists. The provincial Liberals have pledged to recruit 750 doctors and 1,500 nurses during their mandate. The province is also planning to offer more restricted licences to doctors who were trained overseas and are willing to work at least six years in rural parts of the province.

P.E.I. youth steered into careers facing shortages

Charlottetown
— Youth in Prince Edward Island are being encouraged to seek out careers in trade and health occupations by Human Resources Development Canada. The new campaign — “It’s not what you think, it’s what you know” — is designed to raise awareness of potential shortages in certain sectors and includes radio, television and newspaper advertising, interactive community and school presentations, a Web site (www.careerknowhow.pe.ca) and a toll-free information line. The 15 occupations include pharmacist, plumber, cook, social worker, industrial electrician, machinist, registered nurse, construction electrician, metal fabricators, medical lab technologist, carpenter, heavy-duty equipment technician, speech language pathologist, welder and automotive service technician.

B.C. WCB unchanged

Richmond, B.C.
— Thanks to a declining injury rate, the average workers’ compensation premium rate in British Columbia for 2004 will remain almost unchanged. In 2004, employers will pay $2.059 per $100 of assessable payroll, compared to a rate of $2.053 for 2003. Base premium rates will remain constant or decline for 56 per cent of B.C.’s 176,000 registered employers. Twenty-one per cent of employers will see base premium rates fall by 10 per cent or more. Twenty-four per cent will experience base rate increases of 10 per cent or more.

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